Chapter 204 |
< World War II - Turning Point (4) >
July 10, 1941
Berlin, the Capital of Germany – Government Building
“Hey, Major Roger. How are you doing?”
-I'm doing well, Your Excellency the Minister.
The voice of my friend, Roger Michael, coming through the receiver, didn't sound bad.
I smiled comfortably as we exchanged the news we always checked first.
“Sergeant Karina Juhlińska is safe.”
-Clemens is safe, too.
“She got promoted, apparently.”
-Oh, that’s impressive.
Sergeant Juhlińska's Polish Army and the German Army Group North were advancing into Belarus, while the rest of the German Army, including Clemens, was advancing into Ukraine, so I acted as the go-between for their news.
Clemens was in a Mechanized Infantry unit, where the advance was so rapid that it outpaced the installation of telephone lines, so I couldn't even tell him directly.
Instead, I would tell Roger Michael, a staff officer, who would then pass the message along.
…He's really going through a lot, that Clemens.
Still, it was a relief that Clemens, as a Battalion Commander, wasn't in constant mortal danger, but I was truly worried about Sergeant Juhlińska, a sniper.
-Is Sergeant Juhlińska still climbing trees?
“Yep.
I met her in person and begged her to be a little more careful, and she told me she’d cut back on the solo operations and act as a Battalion Support Gunner as requested by her superiors. I was so moved I nearly cried.”
-Whew, she’s a very valiant soldier. That guy Clemens, if he’s going to be wrapped around someone’s finger, at least it's by someone impressive.
“Still, the tip Clemens gave me worked, you know? She becomes a little more susceptible to requests after she's had some meat.”
-Don’t tell me that was actually true? What is she, a wild beast…?
I didn't think it would work either, but it really did.
If Sergeant Juhlińska before eating meat has a 100% iron wall up, after eating meat, that wall comes down to about 50%.
“I know, right? Haha.
Anyway, make sure you tell him I did my part. He’s probably the only person who would use a Minister to make a request to someone he’s got a crush on.”
-Heh heh. Understood, Minister!
I have these regular calls with Roger.
I try to talk to him at least once a week.
“You must be a proper Army Group Staff Officer by now, right?”
-My head was spinning at first, but it turned out that way.
“I always ask, but are there any issues?”
-It’s been smooth so far. But as our advance lengthens, I'm not sure how long our supplies can keep up smoothly.
“Leave that to me. We have some leeway for now.”
-That’s reassuring, Minister of Defense.
The American trucks have been a huge help, and with the new armored vehicles replacing the trucks used by armored units, we have plenty of trucks to spare.
It would be a different story if we expanded the front across the entire Soviet Union, but for now, it's manageable. If things go well, we might even be able to stockpile enough supplies at the front in preparation for the Rasputitsa.
“How are our Russian friends who switched sides doing?”
-They’re managing public security in the occupied territory, and there haven’t been any serious problems yet.
“Hmm.”
-There are no issues with the Belarusians or Ukrainians, but I heard there have been a few clashes with ardent communists.
“It seems Vlasov and his followers are quite staunch in their anti-communism.”
-Looks like it.
This is what’s good about having a friend on the ground.
Generals tend to bury such trivial and troublesome issues rather than bother reporting them to their superiors, but Roger tells me these seemingly minor yet subtly important details when I ask.
The Russians following Vlasov are people who defected out of disillusionment with Communism, or, if not that, a good number of them are from the old Russian White Army.
This was also the main reason I was wary of them; excessive zeal combined with hatred always leads to overreactions, no matter where you are.
“I’ll have to give them another warning.
Let me know immediately if anything unusual happens.”
-Will do, Minister.
We don’t talk about the extent of the damage at the front or how many losses we've suffered.
I receive reports every day anyway, and he is in the position of submitting reports as an Army Group Staff Officer.
It’s an unspoken rule that emerged from not wanting to feel the grimness of this already fierce and immense war, even while on the phone with a friend.
-Speaking of Sergeant Juhlińska, how are things with you?
“Huh?”
-Your married life, I mean.
“Haha, it’s always the best.”
-As a free-love advocate, I really don't get it, but every time I see you, I find it amazing.
“That’s because you haven’t met the perfect person yet.”
-When are those rose-colored glasses of his ever going to come off?
“They probably won’t.”
I chuckled, then a thought occurred to me and I spoke.
“Ah, come to think of it, she has gotten a bit picky lately.”
-Huh? I was joking. Don’t tell me they’re actually coming off.
“It’s not that. Claudia used to eat well no matter what was served.”
Claudia has an incredibly easy-going palate.
The only cuisine she ever calls unappetizing is the food she cooks herself.
She was the type to eat without complaint, whether it was a simple sandwich or just a piece of bread.
“But these days, she just picks at her food during meals.
It happens all the time, even when the food is quite delicious, so the chef has been on pins and needles.”
-Hey, that’s…
“Huh?”
-Isn't that morning sickness?
“Huh? Isn't morning sickness when you get nauseous and throw up?”
In dramas and such, the symptom was always severe dry heaving, with sounds like 'Ugh, ugh. '
-It can be different for everyone. I'd say that's a strong possibility.
“…And how would you know something like that?”
-…
Morning sickness?
No way. Wait, but if it's true, that means Claudia is…
“I-I’m hanging up now.”
-Well, alright. If you’re going to be a father, congratulations in advance.
Take care, Minister.
“…Thanks.
You too, Staff Officer. Send my regards to Clemens.”
-Jawohl!
-
July 12, 1941
Tokyo, Capital of the Empire of Japan
The Emperor of Japan, Hirohito, was facing the Prime Minister, Tojo Hideki.
“Is there still no response from America?”
At Hirohito’s question, Tojo bowed his head as if in apology.
“That is correct, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Hirohito frowned.
He found it difficult to understand why the Americans, who should be busy enough managing their own affairs like the Great Depression and communist uprisings, were being so stubborn.
“Is it so difficult to lift the trade sanctions and get along as before, on the condition that we won’t touch the Philippines or American territory?”
Hirohito looked at the silent, bowing Tojo with frustration.
“The Soviet Union has also cut off steel exports?”
“I am sorry to say, that is correct, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Amidst the power struggle between the Army and the Navy, the scarcity of already-lacking steel was getting worse.
In fact, the Imperial Japanese Army, after seeing the French Somua S-35 medium tank, had been full of admiration, nicknamed it ‘Tomodachi’ (Friend), and tried to mass-produce it. But due to technical and steel shortages, its standardization was delayed, and in the meantime, France surrendered.
During all this, Japan had to occupy French Indochina to appease the Soviet Union, whose plan to invade the Soviets after a separate armistice had been exposed by Germany.
All this before the medium tank nicknamed ‘Friend’ could even be deployed to the front.
As Allied forces began to push into their homeland, the Soviets, with their own house on fire, redirected all the steel they had been exporting to Japan for their own priority use in churning out military supplies, rendering even that meaningless.
So, even when they wanted to discuss lifting trade sanctions to import steel from America, every telegram sent to the US was either ignored or met with a purely perfunctory, delayed response.
“Didn’t the Soviets say they would provide steel if we dispatched troops from our Army?”
“That is so, but due to internal circumstances, it is difficult, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Tojo continuously bowed his head apologetically.
Japan had welcomed the Soviet proposal. That was how desperate they were for steel.
To be precise, the Japanese Navy had welcomed it and insisted on dispatching the Army.
However, the Army, already facing a severe shortage of troops and claiming they couldn't trust the Navy to properly handle the transport of fuel and supplies for the Southern Resource Area, threatened that there would be no deployment.
It had reached a point where the Army, distrusting the Navy, was splitting the already scarce steel to build its own transport ships, a situation that made even Tojo grab the back of his neck.
But he couldn't very well tell the Emperor that they couldn't send troops because the Army and Navy were fighting.
“…When do you expect Fujian and Zhejiang to be captured?”
“…My apologies, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
At this point, Hirohito frowned as well.
Was every other word going to be an apology?
Southeastern China, Fujian and Zhejiang, were regions cut off from the Republic of China's mainland by the Empire of Japan and unable to receive supplies.
And yet, they had been holding out tenaciously for months now.
It was only natural for Hirohito to be frustrated.
However, contrary to Hirohito's wishes, the Imperial Japanese Army had occupied such a vast territory that it couldn't spare the manpower to concentrate its offensive.
If they pulled troops from the rear, the Chinese would invariably rise up in revolt, so the Imperial General Headquarters had even issued a directive to suppress uprisings by ‘reducing the Chinese population as much as possible.’
It felt like if they just pushed a little more, they could cut off Jiang Jieshi and the Republic of China’s lifeline, but no matter how much they pushed, they held on tenaciously.
China was already a black hole, sucking up Japan’s manpower and resources.
Even after conscripting everyone they could from the mainland, as well as from Joseon, Manchuria, and the occupied Chinese territories, they were always short on troops.
Eventually, Hirohito sighed with a weary face.
“What is the reason for the incessant reports of losses from Burma?”
Burma was occupied by Chandra Bose's Free India Army and the Burmese independence army, led by figures like Aung San, who had been trained and sent back by Japan.
As the unrest among Indians within Britain was subsiding, Chandra Bose and Aung San had requested help, and the Empire of Japan had just sent reinforcements.
The Allied Forces hadn't even begun their offensive in Burma yet.
So why were they suffering losses of their already scarce troops there?
Tojo was now breaking out in a cold sweat.
The Empire of Japan had reliably dispatched reinforcements under the command of Kimura Heitaro.
The problem was that the local people were enraged and resisting because of what those very reinforcement troops had done.
“It seems to be taking some time for the subjects of Burma and India to accept the great cause of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.”
It wasn't a problem that would be solved with time, seeing as the Japanese Army, which they had considered an ally that would liberate them from the British imperialists, had immediately demanded obedience upon arrival and, upon refusal, had resorted to massacre, looting, and rape as a means of oppression.
Finally, Hirohito lost his temper.
“When, exactly! Was it not you, Prime Minister, who said that we can only achieve victory by ending the war on one front, be it India or China!”
“M-My deepest apologies, Your Majesty the Emperor…”
“Enough with the apologies! The Americans’ movements are also suspicious. How long do you intend to let things stagnate like this!”
Hirohito stared intently at the bowing Tojo before speaking.
“At least in India, the locals will be on our side once we occupy it, so that should be a bit better. If the Soviet Union collapses while we are delayed like this, the problem will become serious, so launch an all-out offensive in India.
And replace that Kimura fellow, who does nothing but cause trouble on-site.”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor.
In that case, I will send Mutaguchi Renya, who made great contributions to the occupation of Indochina.”
“Mutaguchi Renya? Is he the only candidate?”
Hirohito asked with a furrowed brow, recalling the incomprehensible Indochina invasion plan that Mutaguchi had devised.
Although it had turned into a bloodless entry with a local welcome, it was impossible to say what would have happened if there had been strong local resistance.
“M-My apologies, Your Majesty the Emperor.
If not Mutaguchi, there is Yamashita Tomoyuki, who is currently in charge of the Manchurian army, but…”
Yamashita Tomoyuki, who had earned the nickname ‘Tiger of Malaya’ after capturing Singapore, had been demoted and relegated to Manchuria even after his victory, on the grounds that someone from the Imperial Way Faction should not be allowed to achieve any more merit.
At Tojo’s reluctant tone, Hirohito, who also disliked Yamashita, grimaced.
“Does this Great Empire of Japan have so few talented men?”
It wasn't a matter of blaming the selection of personnel when a man who could be called a great general in the Japanese Army was rotting away like that, but in any case, there was no opportunity for a general disliked by both the Prime Minister and the Emperor.
“Ahem.
It is because the front is so vast, Your Majesty the Emperor. While General Mutaguchi may be inexperienced, his brilliant operation led to a bloodless entry into the Indochina Peninsula, and his local administration has been without issue, so his reputation is high.”
Unlike other Japanese commanders who actively emphasized massacres and local control, Mutaguchi Renya, who was too busy living it up with women and alcohol to cause any trouble, was ironically seeing his reputation rise.
Looking at the results alone, Mutaguchi Renya’s performance was, in fact, extremely commendable.
At this point, Hirohito finally, reluctantly, agreed.
“…Very well.
If the Prime Minister insists, then send General Mutaguchi Renya to Burma.”
“I will carry it out immediately, Your Majesty the Emperor!”
Hirohito looked at Tojo with a face full of doubt, but there was nothing else he could do.
Hirohito looked down at the map on the table.
Germany, which had mercilessly exposed their peace negotiation proposal and was now crushing the Soviet Union.
Britain and the Netherlands, with whom they would fight fiercely over India.
In the end, an armistice with the Allied Forces was impossible until one side lost the capacity to attack the other.
“…Commander-in-Chief Yamamoto's mission is a heavy one.”
“Yes, sir!”
The Imperial Japanese Navy, led by Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Yamamoto Isoroku, was in a standoff with the Royal Navy and the Dutch Navy around the Strait of Malacca and the East Indies Sea.
The coming decisive fleet battle at sea and the decisive land battle for India. These two battles would determine whether they could force the Allied Forces to surrender or not.
“Just as it repelled the foreign power of the Mongols, the Divine Wind (Kamikaze) will protect the Great Empire of Japan.”
As he murmured this, Hirohito’s gaze anxiously swept past the Philippines and America.
It would be fine if that giant continued to sleep, he thought, but if not, the Empire of Japan might have to prepare for them as well.